Written Answers Friday 10 November 2006

Scottish Executive

Alzheimer's Disease

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the additional cost to the NHS would be if donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine were prescribed to those suffering from the mild form of Alzheimer’s disease.

Lewis Macdonald: Guidance issued by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence in 2001, and endorsed by the then Health Technology Board for Scotland, recommended the use of donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine for patients suffering from mild to moderate dementia in Alzheimer’s disease. In 2005-06, prescribing data on drugs dispensed in the community showed that £7,470,042 was spent on the three drugs. Hospital prescribing data is not included. This cost includes the prescribing of the drugs to patients suffering from the mild form of the disease.

  It is not possible to identify from prescribing data the cost attributable to patients suffering from the mild form of the disease. The prescription form does not specify whether the drug is prescribed for a patient with mild or moderate disease. In addition, the costs vary depending on the drug prescribed and the required daily dose prescribed for each individual patient.

Alzheimer's Disease

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will monitor the number of patients who choose to purchase donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine privately for mild Alzheimer’s disease.

Lewis Macdonald: Information on private prescriptions is not collected centrally except for schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs.

Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on the advertising campaign to highlight the two-year anniversary of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004.

Hugh Henry: There is no advertising campaign planned to highlight the second anniversary of the Antisocial Behaviour (Scotland) Act 2004. A regular newsletter is issued to inform local communities on the use of measures in the act and the progress being made to tackle antisocial behaviour and promote safer communities. This will make reference to the second anniversary of the act.

Cancer

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time was for breast cancer test results in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-27105 on 24 July 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Care of Elderly People

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-28124 by Lewis Macdonald on 19 September 2006, in respect of how many care homes the Care Commission has put recommendations or requirements on a care service since 2001.

Lewis Macdonald: The number of recommendations and requirements put on care homes by the Care Commission is an operational matter for the commission. The commission can be contacted at:

  The Care Commission

  Compass House

  11 Riverside Drive

  Dundee

  DD1 4NY

  0845 603 0890

  www.carecommission.com.

Concessionary Travel

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what expenditure on the national concessionary travel scheme was projected to be at this point of the financial year.

Tavish Scott: A budget of £159 million has been set for 2006-07. The process that operators follow to make claims against the scheme means that it is difficult to accurately profile projected payments through the year. Many bus operators do not claim in a timely and accurate fashion, or indeed do not claim at all for several periods, and this has a significant effect on the payments profile for the year. Notwithstanding seasonal variation in bus travel (which is generally higher in summer), coupled with the novelty factor of a new scheme, expenditure to this point (which encompasses periods one to eight of 13) could easily be projected to be as high as £98 million or as low as say £70 million, depending on how many claims have been received and finalised. We monitor expenditure against budget on a monthly basis. Current projections are within budget for the financial year.

Direct Payments

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to monitor the extent to which local authorities have instituted procedures to support those receiving direct payments for community care in the management of their payments, or in the management of the services purchased with such payments.

Lewis Macdonald: The Executive monitors local authorities’ activities on direct payments in two ways.

  Local authorities are required to complete the quarterly statistical return DP1 of key monitoring information, which the Scottish Executive compiles into an annual statistical return. The latest national figures are available on the Scottish Executive website at the following link:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/09/25160444/0.

  In response to the Health Committee’s recent Care Inquiry, the Scottish Executive issued in September draft guidance for public consultation which highlights that Local Improvement Targets (LITs) of the Joint Performance Information and Assessment Framework (JPIAF) are used to monitor local authority performance. It is an expectation of the grant aided expenditure (GAE) for direct payments for 2006 onwards that local authorities provide local information, support and training, both for direct payments recipients and personal assistants (PAs,) and local authority staff involved in financing and delivering care locally. We shall use LITs to monitor progress on delivery. Further information on LITs can be found on the Scottish Executive Joint Future website at the following link:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/care/JointFuture/LITS.

Direct Payments

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to monitor the training of social workers in the provision and implementation of direct payments.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive does not monitor the training of social workers in the provision and implementation of direct payments. As part of the grant aided expenditure for direct payments in 2006, we expect local authorities to provide training for their staff whose roles involve care assessment and care management.

Direct Payments

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware that some local authorities operate a waiting list for direct payments for community care and, if so, whether it will indicate (a) which local authorities operate a waiting list and (b) the average length of wait.

Lewis Macdonald: We are not aware of any local authorities currently operating waiting lists for direct payments.

Education Maintenance Allowances

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people from the (a) Argyll and Bute and (b) West Dunbartonshire local authority area were paid education maintenance allowance in 2005-06.

Nicol Stephen: The annual statistics publication on education maintenance allowances at Scottish level will be published on 14 November. The breakdown by local authority, published annually on the internet, will be updated in the same week.

Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) reported cases of and (b) successful prosecutions for breaches of maximum pesticide residue levels in food there have been in each of the last five years.

Ross Finnie: Reported breaches of maximum residue levels (MRLs) in the Pesticides Residues Committee’s UK pesticide residues monitoring programme were as follows:

  

2001
29
(0.7%)


2002
40
(1%)


2003
27
(0.7%)


2004
42
(1.1%)


2005
65
(1.7%)



  The UK has one of the lowest incidences of breaches of trading levels in Europe. Accordingly, prosecutions are not routinely taken for minor infringements but are reserved for food safety issues and the use of non-approved pesticides. There have been no prosecutions taken in the last five years.

Environment

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the emissions of CO 2 and particulate matters by (a) jet aircraft engines on average (i) short-haul flights from Glasgow to London and (ii) long-haul flights from Glasgow to New York and (b) jet fighters on bombing range exercises and returns from Norfolk to Easter Ross.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive does not hold the information requested.

  The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) and particulate matters emissions produced by civilian aircraft vary by model and type of aircraft and according to factors such as journey lengths, passenger and fuel loadings and weather conditions. However, the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) publishes estimates of CO2 emissions from aircraft as provided in the following tables:

  Data on CO2 Emissions from Passenger Flights

  

Method of Travel
Kg CO2 per Passenger Kilometre


Long-haul
0.11


Short-haul
0.15



  Data on CO2 Emissions from Air Freight Flights

  

Method of Transport
Kg CO2 Per Tonne Kilometre


Long-haul
0.57


Short-haul
1.58



  The figures are compiled from DEFRA’s Company Reporting Manual and the search facility can be found at http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/business/envrp/gas/envrpgas-annexes.pdf.

Environment

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on what noise levels are experienced at ground level from (a) short haul jet aircraft, (b) long haul jet aircraft and (c) fighter jets flying at (i) 100 metres, (ii) 500 metres and (iii) 1,000 metres.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive does not hold the information requested.

Environment

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has given any consideration to requiring all multi-nutrient fertilisers to be supplemented with sodium selenate.

Ross Finnie: We have no plans to request fertiliser manufactures to take such action.

Genetically Modified Food

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that the law that no unauthorised GM material is present in food on sale is enforced in Scotland, following advice published by the Food Standards Agency in respect of rice contaminated with GM material.

Lewis Macdonald: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that it oversees local authority enforcement activities for food law, which includes the regulations governing the sale of GM food. It sets and monitors standards and audits local authorities’ activities to ensure enforcement arrangements are proportionate, consistent and transparent. It also supports local authorities by funding training, providing grants and making other resources available.

  The Food Standards Agency in Scotland has written to local authorities in Scotland highlighting possible importation of rice contaminated with GM material into Scottish ports and the requirement for consignments to be accompanied by a valid analytical report or in absence of a report, for consignments to be detained and analysed. Since doing so the agency has asked all Scottish ports to provide data on sampling and analysis and is currently collating this information.

Graduates

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides to organisations offering unpaid work placements to graduates to enable them to gain the necessary experience to find full-time employment.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive does not directly support organisations offering unpaid work placements to graduates. There are however other opportunities available to such organisations which the Executive indirectly supports. Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise both have programmes available to businesses and graduates throughout their areas. These programmes offer paid work placements for graduates, and business support and consultancy to participating organisations.

  Also, the Scottish Executive supports Project Scotland which facilitates and supports high quality full time volunteering opportunities for all 16 to 25-year-olds, including graduates.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescale is for implementing national guidance on the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis.

Mr Andy Kerr: The results of the stock-take being undertaken by NHS Quality Improvement should be available by the end of March 2007, and the Chief Medical Officer will then consider what might need to be done in terms of raising awareness amongst health professionals.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to NHS Quality Improvement Scotland about implementing national guidance on the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Mr Andy Kerr: We have asked NHS Quality Improvement Scotland to carry out a stock-take of all the initiatives in place in Scotland aimed at managing venous thromboembolism (VTE), DVT being one of the common presentations of VTE.

  The main message which guidance on diagnosis needs to emphasise is that all the investigations available at present can only indicate a low probability of DVT. They cannot exclude the presence of a DVT.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in publishing a patient information leaflet on the symptoms of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), as recommended by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman in May 2006.

Mr Andy Kerr: The NHS Quality Improvement Scotland work includes collecting all current patient information leaflets on the subject of DVT. We are also working with the family whose case was investigated by the ombudsman, and a variety of agencies, on devising the most effective leaflet which could be used across Scotland, and will then look at ways raising public awareness of it.

Justice

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fines have been remitted in each year since 1999.

Cathy Jamieson: The decision to remit a fine is always a judicial one and is only taken when there is no realistic prospect of payment of an outstanding fine being made. Examples of situations where a judge may decide to remit a fine include where an offender has died or has been declared bankrupt.

  The available information on sheriff court fines remitted is given in the table below.

  Number of Accounts Relating to Sheriff Court Fines1 which were Fully or Partially Remitted2,3, 1999-2000 to 2005-06

  

Year
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Number remitted
1,532
1,728
1,664
1,833
1,718
1,698
1,851



  Notes:

  1. The figures relate to fines imposed in the sheriff courts and those transferred in from Courts outwith Scotland.

  2. The figures represent accounts with sums remitted only and do not include accounts with sums written off or discharged. This is consistent with previous answers on fines remitted, for example the answer to question S2W-27946.

  3. It is not possible to provide separate figures on those accounts which resulted in the full fine being remitted as opposed to those having had only a proportion remitted.

  During each of the last three financial years, the value of fines remitted by sheriff courts as a proportion of the value of all fines imposed by sheriff courts has remained constant at around 3 per cent.

  Information on the number of district court fines remitted in 1999-2000 to 2003-04 was given in the answer to question S2W-13957 on 9 February 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  Of the 40,648 district court imposed fines with a final outcome in 2004-05, 1,153 were recorded as fully remitted (2.8 per cent) and a further 611 as partially remitted (1.5 per cent). The figures for 2004-05 exclude Dumfries and Galloway, Eilean Siar, Fife and Stirling. The figures for district court fines remitted in North Lanarkshire in 2004-05 include other types of monetary penalty such as compensation orders, transfers (in and out), registered fines and fiscal fines for Motherwell District Court.

Less Favoured Areas

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what safeguards it is putting in place for farmers due less favoured area (LFA) payments, in light of reports of problems with the Scottish Rural Development Programme.

Ross Finnie: We recognise that a change in the timing of Less Favoured Area Support Scheme payments could have an adverse impact on the cash flow of farms and crofts in LFA’s. Accordingly I have submitted a proposal to Brussels that we make a supplementary payment of £40 million to help address this problem.

Medical Records

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what safeguards there will be in the NHS national database of patient details to ensure appropriate patient confidentiality.

Mr Andy Kerr: National electronic databases containing patient details are protected by a range of safeguards to ensure appropriate patient confidentiality. Staff access is governed by their contractual duty of confidentiality, backed by training and a specific protocol for each database which sets out appropriate use. There are in addition a range of technical security safeguards. These include use of the secure intra-NHS telecommunications system, firewalls, encryption, individual user passwords and audit log of all accesses.

  Planning work and early implementation is underway towards the Electronic Health Record, an outcome of Delivering for Health, which is expected to be fully deployed by 2010. Early components of the Electronic Health Record, such as the Emergency Care Summary are protected by the full range of security measures outlined above and future versions of the Electronic Health Record will be similarly protected. Information on the Emergency Care Summary database can only be accessed on a genuine "need to know" basis. This requires that those who use a patient’s information:

  Are who they claim to be through authorisation identity checks

  Have a legitimate care relationship with the patient

  Only see information their role allows

  An audit trail record is kept of everyone who views a patient’s Emergency Care Summary record.

Medical Records

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what access insurance companies are given to patients’ medical records, including those held on national databases, and at whose discretion.

Andy Kerr: Patients’ medical information is protected by the common law duty of confidentiality and the Data Protection Act 1998. Insurance companies have no right of access to patients medical records held on national or local databases and no power of discretion exists to permit access.

  The Access to Medical Reports Act (1988) addresses the particular issue of requests from insurance companies (and employers) for medical reports from medical practitioners. The act states that an applicant, for example an insurance company, must not apply to a medical practitioner for a medical report relating to an individual, until he has notified the individual that he proposes to make the application and that the individual has notified the applicant that he consents to the making of the application. The doctor must be content that the individual has genuinely consented to the release of that information. This applies to local and national databases and discretionary powers do not apply.

Medical Records

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what access employers are given to patients’ medical records, including those held on national databases, and at whose discretion.

Mr Andy Kerr: Patients’ medical information is protected by the common law duty of confidentiality and the Data Protection Act 1998. Employers have no right of access to patients medical records held on national or local databases and no power of discretion exists to permit access.

  The Access to Medical Reports Act (1988) addresses the particular issue of requests from employers (and insurance companies) for medical reports from medical practitioners. The act states that an applicant, for example an employer, must not apply to a medical practitioner for a medical report relating to an individual, until he has notified the individual that he proposes to make the application and that the individual has notified the applicant that he consents to the making of the application. The doctor must be content that the individual has genuinely consented to the release of that information. This applies to local and national databases and discretionary powers do not apply.

Ministerial Correspondence

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any on-going issues in NHS Western Isles which would explain why Angus MacNeil MP has had no substantive reply to his letters of 9 August, 19 September and 6 October 2006 to the NHS board regarding his constituent, Mr John MacLeod of the Isle of Lewis.

Mr Andy Kerr: This is a matter for NHS Western Isles.

Mortality

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the mortality rate amongst (a) men and (b) women has been in each year since 1980, broken down by (i) socio-economic group and (ii) local area.

George Lyon: The following tables give mortality rates by local authority since 1981 (comparable information is not available for 1980). There is no readily available information on mortality rates by socio-economic group. However, a major research project on this complex topic, commissioned by the Scottish Executive, has recently been completed. A comprehensive report on this research will be published during the winter. It will contain detailed analyses of patterns and trends in mortality, and other aspects of health, according to social class and area-based deprivation measures.

  Health Inequalities in Scotland: Decennial Report on Socioeconomic and Spatial Variations in Health around the 1991 and 2001 Censuses

  (a) Male Mortality Rates by Council Area, 1981-2005 (Crude Death Rates per 1,000 Population)

  

 
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989


Scotland
12.7
12.8
12.6
12.4
12.6
12.6
12.4
12.4
12.7


Aberdeen City
11.7
12.5
12.2
11.3
11.8
11.7
11.2
11.5
11.6


Aberdeenshire
11.1
10.6
10.4
10.5
10.9
10.6
9.7
10.2
10.2


Angus
12.2
12.3
12.0
11.4
12.6
11.9
12.8
12.4
12.8


Argyll and Bute
13.4
13.1
13.2
13.0
12.4
13.0
13.1
12.0
12.8


Clackmannanshire
10.6
11.0
10.5
9.7
12.8
10.7
11.7
12.4
11.5


Dumfries and Galloway
13.8
13.6
13.4
12.8
13.4
13.1
14.1
13.0
13.8


Dundee City
11.9
12.9
12.9
13.7
13.2
13.6
12.5
13.5
13.7


East Ayrshire
13.5
13.5
13.9
12.8
12.2
12.7
12.0
12.1
13.5


East Dunbartonshire
9.2
8.3
8.9
8.5
8.3
8.2
9.6
8.8
9.4


East Lothian
12.2
13.0
12.3
12.6
13.6
12.8
12.7
12.8
13.1


East Renfrewshire
9.8
10.0
9.9
10.4
9.9
10.5
9.4
9.2
10.1


Edinburgh, City of
12.5
13.1
12.7
12.7
12.9
12.4
12.4
12.6
12.0


Eilean Siar
16.6
15.2
16.0
16.5
15.9
15.5
15.3
15.5
17.3


Falkirk
11.8
12.8
13.1
12.0
12.0
12.6
12.8
12.9
12.7


Fife
12.7
12.2
12.0
11.9
12.1
11.9
11.7
12.0
12.0


Glasgow City
15.8
15.5
15.2
15.1
15.1
15.5
15.1
15.2
15.6


Highland
13.0
13.1
13.0
12.1
12.1
12.7
12.3
11.4
12.3


Inverclyde
13.3
13.5
12.5
13.2
13.7
13.9
13.7
12.5
14.4


Midlothian
10.6
10.0
10.0
10.4
10.7
10.6
10.8
10.6
9.6


Moray
11.9
10.9
11.6
12.1
12.2
12.2
10.6
12.1
11.0


North Ayrshire
11.9
13.7
11.6
12.7
12.2
12.3
12.7
11.5
12.1


North Lanarkshire
11.6
11.6
10.8
11.0
11.8
11.3
11.1
10.7
11.9


Orkney Islands
13.5
12.1
14.7
13.3
14.5
13.8
13.7
15.1
16.0


Perth and Kinross
13.7
14.0
14.2
13.3
13.0
14.1
13.8
12.7
14.5


Renfrewshire
12.1
12.0
12.5
12.6
12.2
12.3
11.8
11.6
11.7


Scottish Borders
14.5
14.7
13.7
12.9
13.8
13.1
12.7
12.8
13.8


Shetland Islands
8.2
10.2
12.4
9.9
11.2
10.9
11.4
10.8
10.9


South Ayrshire
13.7
13.8
14.3
13.1
13.2
14.1
13.5
12.7
13.4


South Lanarkshire
10.7
11.1
10.9
10.8
10.9
10.9
10.6
10.7
11.1


Stirling
12.1
11.2
11.3
11.9
11.8
12.2
11.0
12.7
10.9


West Dunbartonshire
12.5
11.7
12.4
11.6
13.1
13.6
12.8
12.6
13.7


West Lothian
9.6
9.3
9.4
9.5
9.7
9.8
9.8
10.0
10.1



  

(a) continued 
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997


Scotland
12.1
12.0
12.0
12.5
11.6
11.7
11.9
11.6


Aberdeen City
10.8
10.7
10.5
10.4
10.0
10.7
10.8
9.9


Aberdeenshire
9.7
9.2
9.8
10.1
9.1
9.4
9.0
8.9


Angus
11.7
11.9
12.3
12.2
11.7
11.9
12.8
10.8


Argyll and Bute
12.4
11.5
12.8
14.0
13.6
13.0
12.3
12.8


Clackmannanshire
10.6
10.7
11.6
10.5
10.1
10.4
11.4
11.4


Dumfries and Galloway
12.4
12.8
12.7
13.1
12.3
12.6
12.5
12.3


Dundee City
13.3
12.5
13.0
13.4
12.3
12.3
13.0
12.7


East Ayrshire
13.0
11.4
11.7
12.7
12.1
12.2
11.1
13.0


East Dunbartonshire
10.0
9.0
9.2
9.2
8.5
8.5
9.8
9.1


East Lothian
11.7
13.0
12.1
13.1
11.6
12.0
12.4
12.0


East Renfrewshire
8.2
9.1
9.5
9.5
8.9
9.1
8.7
9.0


Edinburgh, City of
12.2
12.1
11.9
12.1
10.9
11.0
11.6
10.8


Eilean Siar
15.0
15.1
15.1
14.8
14.3
15.2
15.6
15.1


Falkirk
12.6
11.6
11.8
12.6
11.9
11.1
12.3
11.2


Fife
11.1
11.8
11.4
12.0
11.2
11.2
11.5
11.0


Glasgow City
14.7
14.8
14.6
15.4
14.4
15.2
14.9
14.0


Highland
11.8
12.0
12.0
11.9
11.6
11.3
11.8
11.4


Inverclyde
14.4
13.3
13.9
14.9
14.0
14.1
15.5
13.6


Midlothian
10.5
10.1
10.5
11.5
9.7
11.0
10.6
10.6


Moray
11.3
11.7
11.0
11.9
10.7
11.0
10.7
9.8


North Ayrshire
11.1
12.1
12.0
12.9
11.8
11.6
12.4
12.4


North Lanarkshire
11.2
11.4
11.2
12.1
11.5
10.9
11.4
11.5


Orkney Islands
12.8
12.5
13.1
12.0
12.3
12.9
12.1
12.4


Perth and Kinross
13.4
14.0
12.5
13.9
12.8
12.6
12.0
12.4


Renfrewshire
11.9
12.4
12.7
12.0
11.9
11.3
12.0
12.1


Scottish Borders
13.8
13.7
13.0
13.1
12.0
12.7
12.2
12.4


Shetland Islands
11.1
10.9
10.7
13.4
11.8
10.4
10.9
10.8


South Ayrshire
13.0
13.3
11.7
14.7
11.9
12.8
12.5
13.3


South Lanarkshire
10.7
10.5
11.3
11.8
10.8
11.5
11.1
11.1


Stirling
10.9
12.1
11.8
11.7
11.1
10.5
11.5
10.6


West Dunbartonshire
12.6
13.1
14.5
12.4
11.7
11.8
13.7
13.7


West Lothian
9.6
9.2
9.6
10.0
9.1
9.2
9.8
9.7



  

(a) continued
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005


Scotland
11.5
11.7
11.3
11.2
11.4
11.4
10.9
10.8


Aberdeen City
9.6
10.5
10.0
10.4
10.6
9.8
10.1
10.3


Aberdeenshire
9.1
8.8
9.1
9.1
8.8
9.1
9.0
8.3


Angus
11.5
11.7
11.5
11.8
11.8
11.3
11.6
12.3


Argyll and Bute
13.1
13.3
11.6
12.2
11.9
12.0
12.6
11.4


Clackmannanshire
10.1
11.4
10.8
10.6
11.0
10.4
10.9
11.0


Dumfries and Galloway
12.2
12.3
12.1
12.1
12.0
13.0
12.0
12.3


Dundee City
12.7
13.3
12.6
12.9
13.0
13.3
12.7
12.2


East Ayrshire
11.7
12.5
11.5
12.3
11.7
12.5
10.5
11.6


East Dunbartonshire
9.3
8.4
9.7
8.5
9.1
8.8
9.2
8.9


East Lothian
12.0
11.7
10.6
10.3
11.3
11.0
10.8
11.1


East Renfrewshire
9.2
8.5
9.8
9.2
9.2
10.2
8.9
9.1


Edinburgh, City of
10.2
10.9
10.2
10.4
9.7
10.0
9.5
9.6


Eilean Siar
15.0
16.0
15.3
13.8
15.9
16.8
14.5
15.0


Falkirk
11.1
11.4
11.3
10.6
11.9
11.1
10.6
10.6


Fife
11.3
11.1
10.8
10.8
11.3
10.8
10.8
10.1


Glasgow City
14.8
14.9
13.9
13.7
13.8
13.8
13.0
12.1


Highland
11.5
12.0
11.7
11.4
11.3
11.5
11.5
10.6


Inverclyde
13.9
14.2
13.4
13.5
14.6
14.5
13.3
12.4


Midlothian
11.8
10.1
10.9
10.2
11.2
10.2
10.1
10.0


Moray
10.4
10.5
10.7
10.5
11.2
10.9
9.4
10.6


North Ayrshire
11.7
11.4
12.1
12.1
12.3
12.1
11.8
11.9


North Lanarkshire
10.8
11.6
11.1
11.0
11.0
11.2
10.4
10.7


Orkney Islands
13.0
12.6
10.9
12.0
10.2
10.2
11.3
11.9


Perth and Kinross
11.4
12.2
11.4
10.8
11.0
11.2
11.4
10.7


Renfrewshire
11.8
12.6
12.0
11.5
12.5
12.8
11.7
12.1


Scottish Borders
11.8
11.7
12.1
11.5
12.5
12.9
11.1
11.4


Shetland Islands
10.6
10.3
7.7
9.6
9.4
10.2
8.5
7.8


South Ayrshire
12.7
12.4
12.2
12.5
13.3
13.1
12.1
12.2


South Lanarkshire
11.3
11.5
10.8
10.3
11.0
10.8
11.1
10.6


Stirling
10.8
10.8
9.9
10.1
10.4
10.0
10.1
9.7


West Dunbartonshire
12.1
12.8
12.2
12.1
12.6
13.1
12.2
12.4


West Lothian
10.0
9.6
9.5
9.5
9.0
9.5
8.2
9.0



  (b) Female Mortality Rates by Council Area, 1981-2005 (Crude Death Rates Per 1,000 Population)

  

 
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989


Scotland
12.0
12.4
12.1
11.9
12.3
12.2
12.0
12.1
12.9


Aberdeen City
12.0
12.8
12.8
11.9
12.4
12.3
11.5
11.5
13.2


Aberdeenshire
10.1
10.4
10.0
9.8
10.6
9.8
9.6
9.2
10.0


Angus
11.3
12.8
12.4
12.2
13.3
13.0
14.5
13.8
13.1


Argyll and Bute
14.0
15.3
14.7
13.7
13.8
14.5
13.8
13.8
15.3


Clackmannanshire
10.1
11.0
10.1
10.5
12.0
11.2
11.0
9.8
11.5


Dumfries and Galloway
13.0
11.7
12.9
12.7
13.3
12.3
12.9
12.4
13.8


Dundee City
11.9
13.9
13.6
13.6
14.4
14.1
13.2
13.4
13.6


East Ayrshire
11.8
12.4
11.8
10.9
11.8
12.1
11.5
11.1
12.3


East Dunbartonshire
9.0
8.8
8.9
9.4
8.3
8.8
8.4
8.7
9.3


East Lothian
12.3
11.6
11.4
11.4
11.6
13.3
13.0
12.5
12.8


East Renfrewshire
10.0
10.4
9.8
10.6
10.2
9.7
10.2
10.4
10.8


Edinburgh, City of
13.1
13.1
13.2
12.8
13.4
13.4
12.7
13.1
14.2


Eilean Siar
14.9
14.8
14.6
14.0
13.0
16.0
14.0
16.1
14.5


Falkirk
10.4
10.5
11.2
11.1
11.1
11.7
10.8
11.1
12.1


Fife
11.2
11.8
11.6
11.0
11.9
11.5
11.2
11.7
12.6


Glasgow City
14.6
14.6
14.6
14.4
14.4
14.9
14.5
14.6
15.8


Highland
11.6
11.5
11.2
11.7
11.9
11.2
11.3
11.4
11.8


Inverclyde
13.1
13.3
11.5
11.0
12.3
13.2
11.6
13.5
13.1


Midlothian
8.7
9.5
8.9
9.4
10.2
9.9
9.9
10.8
9.9


Moray
11.3
11.0
11.1
10.7
12.0
10.7
11.0
12.2
11.9


North Ayrshire
11.5
12.5
11.0
11.8
12.7
11.7
11.8
11.8
12.4


North Lanarkshire
10.0
10.6
10.3
10.2
10.6
10.2
10.5
10.1
11.0


Orkney Islands
12.7
12.8
11.7
10.8
11.6
11.9
11.6
15.1
12.0


Perth and Kinross
12.7
14.5
13.3
13.2
13.3
13.3
12.5
12.8
13.8


Renfrewshire
11.4
12.3
11.0
11.3
11.8
12.0
11.8
11.4
11.8


Scottish Borders
14.0
15.9
14.7
13.6
15.4
13.5
13.9
14.0
14.2


Shetland Islands
11.4
11.8
11.9
12.2
10.2
11.1
10.5
11.9
10.6


South Ayrshire
13.7
14.6
14.2
13.3
13.9
13.5
12.4
12.5
13.5


South Lanarkshire
10.1
10.7
10.5
10.3
10.7
10.1
10.4
10.2
11.6


Stirling
11.2
11.0
10.6
10.1
11.5
11.6
11.0
11.7
11.7


West Dunbartonshire
11.0
11.7
11.2
10.3
11.7
10.5
11.2
10.6
12.3


West Lothian
8.9
9.1
8.3
8.7
8.0
8.9
8.5
9.0
9.4



  

 (b) continued
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997


Scotland
12.1
12.0
12.0
12.7
11.7
12.0
11.9
11.8


Aberdeen City
11.7
11.0
11.0
12.7
11.0
11.0
10.8
10.8


Aberdeenshire
9.8
10.0
9.8
10.5
9.5
9.4
8.6
9.2


Angus
13.4
13.9
13.8
14.5
13.7
13.8
13.6
13.0


Argyll and Bute
14.5
14.2
13.2
15.9
13.6
14.5
14.9
14.2


Clackmannanshire
9.6
9.6
10.7
10.6
10.6
10.9
11.4
10.2


Dumfries and Galloway
12.6
13.4
13.4
13.4
12.4
11.2
12.8
12.3


Dundee City
12.5
12.1
12.8
13.2
11.5
12.3
12.9
12.2


East Ayrshire
12.0
12.3
11.6
12.1
12.3
11.6
12.2
13.4


East Dunbartonshire
8.9
8.6
9.3
9.6
9.3
8.8
8.8
9.9


East Lothian
12.6
12.4
11.9
13.2
12.4
12.9
13.1
13.0


East Renfrewshire
9.8
10.0
9.9
10.3
9.7
10.9
10.4
10.2


Edinburgh, City of
13.2
13.1
12.9
13.1
12.3
12.0
12.0
11.7


Eilean Siar
14.9
14.9
13.3
16.6
14.9
14.6
14.6
14.8


Falkirk
11.7
11.6
12.2
13.1
12.2
11.8
11.2
11.1


Fife
11.5
12.1
11.9
11.7
11.0
11.5
11.5
11.4


Glasgow City
14.2
14.1
14.4
15.0
13.6
14.2
14.1
13.8


Highland
11.3
11.2
10.5
11.3
11.0
12.0
11.1
11.5


Inverclyde
13.0
13.9
12.4
14.9
12.9
13.7
13.5
12.9


Midlothian
10.2
11.2
9.3
10.4
10.0
10.8
11.0
10.1


Moray
11.7
10.8
11.6
11.7
10.6
11.4
10.0
10.4


North Ayrshire
12.4
11.5
11.4
13.1
11.9
12.2
11.5
11.8


North Lanarkshire
10.8
11.0
10.9
11.8
10.5
11.5
11.2
10.8


Orkney Islands
14.4
11.1
12.6
14.4
11.5
11.0
11.0
11.8


Perth and Kinross
13.9
12.6
14.1
14.6
13.3
13.1
13.0
12.5


Renfrewshire
11.5
10.9
11.7
12.5
11.1
11.4
11.5
11.4


Scottish Borders
14.3
13.9
13.0
13.4
13.5
13.6
13.4
13.4


Shetland Islands
11.4
9.9
11.7
11.8
11.5
9.9
11.1
10.6


South Ayrshire
13.4
13.4
13.5
14.6
13.2
14.4
13.2
13.4


South Lanarkshire
10.3
10.7
10.8
11.8
10.7
11.0
11.6
11.7


Stirling
10.6
11.7
11.4
11.5
11.7
11.0
12.0
11.3


West Dunbartonshire
11.1
11.8
11.2
11.9
12.0
12.1
11.8
12.9


West Lothian
8.0
9.3
8.5
9.4
7.8
9.2
9.2
9.4



  

(b) continued 
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005


Scotland
11.8
12.0
11.5
11.4
11.6
11.7
11.2
11.1


Aberdeen City
10.8
11.1
11.4
10.3
10.5
11.3
11.0
10.7


Aberdeenshire
9.4
9.8
9.2
9.1
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.0


Angus
12.8
14.3
13.5
12.8
13.0
13.4
12.8
12.4


Argyll and Bute
15.2
13.7
13.8
12.7
14.2
13.2
12.2
12.4


Clackmannanshire
11.1
9.8
11.4
11.0
10.4
10.4
10.1
11.3


Dumfries and Galloway
12.3
12.5
12.0
12.0
12.3
13.0
13.0
12.6


Dundee City
13.2
12.6
12.4
12.9
12.4
13.0
12.1
12.3


East Ayrshire
12.0
14.0
12.5
12.7
12.2
13.2
12.1
12.9


East Dunbartonshire
8.4
10.1
8.7
8.9
10.3
9.9
9.1
8.9


East Lothian
11.9
11.7
12.9
11.4
11.5
12.7
11.0
11.0


East Renfrewshire
9.9
10.1
9.9
9.1
9.6
10.9
10.4
9.1


Edinburgh, City of
11.6
11.6
11.2
10.6
10.5
10.4
9.8
9.9


Eilean Siar
13.6
13.8
15.4
13.1
14.9
14.8
12.3
14.7


Falkirk
11.4
11.5
11.3
11.1
11.7
11.6
11.4
10.3


Fife
11.7
11.5
11.0
11.5
11.6
11.5
10.9
11.1


Glasgow City
13.8
14.1
13.2
12.9
12.9
12.9
12.2
12.3


Highland
11.5
11.2
11.4
11.6
11.6
11.5
10.8
10.4


Inverclyde
13.4
13.1
14.0
12.9
12.6
12.4
12.8
13.1


Midlothian
10.1
10.4
10.0
10.5
11.5
10.3
9.9
10.9


Moray
10.6
11.8
11.3
11.0
11.1
11.0
11.5
10.8


North Ayrshire
12.1
12.7
12.0
12.0
11.7
12.0
12.0
11.6


North Lanarkshire
10.8
10.8
10.3
10.4
10.8
11.0
10.8
10.3


Orkney Islands
12.0
9.3
9.3
11.8
11.7
11.2
10.9
9.3


Perth and Kinross
13.1
12.8
11.3
12.0
12.5
12.9
12.1
11.7


Renfrewshire
11.6
12.1
11.7
11.8
11.6
11.8
11.9
11.3


Scottish Borders
13.3
13.3
12.5
12.4
13.3
13.3
12.7
12.4


Shetland Islands
10.7
9.3
8.3
10.8
10.1
10.5
10.2
7.2


South Ayrshire
13.2
13.2
14.0
13.5
13.7
13.3
12.9
12.8


South Lanarkshire
10.9
11.9
10.9
11.4
11.4
11.2
11.1
10.8


Stirling
10.6
11.8
10.7
11.6
10.6
11.1
10.0
10.3


West Dunbartonshire
12.3
13.2
12.2
12.8
12.1
12.7
12.0
12.8


West Lothian
9.3
10.2
8.6
8.9
10.1
9.7
8.4
9.1

NHS Finance

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on private car hire for transporting (a) patients and (b) medical notes in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not collected by the Scottish Executive.

NHS Hospitals

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average size of catchment area was for accident and emergency departments in (a) 1997, (b) 2001, (c) 2005 and (d) the most recent period for which figures are available in terms of (i) geographical area and (ii) number of people.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information is not held centrally in the form requested. My answer to question S2W-27107 on 24 July 2006 set out the number of NHS locations recorded as providing an accident and emergency service in each financial year from 1995 to 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  NHS boards do not formally define catchment areas for accident and emergency units. In practice, Scottish Ambulance Service crews will assess an emergency patient’s condition and treatment requirements and on the basis of that assessment and any other relevant factors will take the patient to the most appropriate accident and emergency facility. Although this will most often be the nearest facility, it need not always be so. The crucial factor in most emergency situations is the time within which paramedical support reaches the patient rather than the time taken thereafter to transport the patient to an accident and emergency facility.

NHS Services

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of in-patient stay was for a person admitted to hospital with influenza in each year since 1997.

Mr Andy Kerr: The following table contains the mean length of in-patient stay for patients with a diagnosis of influenza for the financial years (ending 31 March) 1997-98 to 2005-06:

  Mean Length of In-Patient stay with Principal Diagnosis of Influenza

  

Financial Year
Mean Length of Stay (Days)


1997-98
7.0


1998-99
7.1


1999-2000
7.6


2000-01
4.6


2001-02
5.5


2002-03
4.9


2003-04
5.3


2004-05
5.2


2005-06
4.3



  Source: Scottish Morbidity Record SMR01 linked database - in-patient/day case discharge summaries from non-obstetric/non-psychiatric specialties.

  Notes:

  Main diagnosis of influenza identified using International Classification of Diseases 10th revision (ICD10) codes J10 and J11.

  Data is for all NHS hospitals in Scotland.

  Although the trend in mean length of stay appears to be downward, there is much variability in these data. Much of this relates to variations in virus characteristics. For instance, the total number of cases in 1999 was 555, but only 91 in 2004. Furthermore, different age groups are more affected in different years. For example, the strain of flu which was prevalent in 2002 seemed to cause more child admissions than adult admissions.

Nutrition

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns about the dietary intake of selenium in the Scottish population.

Lewis Macdonald: I am informed by the Food Standards Agency Scotland that a recent review by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) agreed that there was evidence of a decline in selenium intake in Great Britain to below the current recommended intake (Department of Health 1991), and that status is low. The health consequences of this, if any, are currently unclear. The SACN agreed that this issue should be reviewed when there is more current intake/status data available for the UK population and when on-going studies and trials have been published.

  In terms of regional differences, survey results suggest that the average selenium intake for the UK was 34.4 ug/person/day, and in Scotland was 32.2 ug/person/day.

Nutrition

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has given any consideration to requiring table salt to be fortified with iodine.

Lewis Macdonald: The Food Standards Agency Scotland has informed me that as there is no concern about the dietary intake of iodine in the Scottish population at present, there is no reason to consider requiring table salt to be fortified with iodine as a public health measure.

Police

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21023 by Cathy Jamieson on 5 December 2005, whether the failure of a chief constable to follow this guidance would be a breach of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Cathy Jamieson: It is the responsibility of a Tribunal to determine whether the Disability Discrimination Act has been breached and not for Scottish ministers.

Police

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to answer to question S2W-21023 by Cathy Jamieson on 5 December 2005, how it ensures that this guidance is complied with by police forces.

Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-29353 on 8 November 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Prescription Charges

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it now expects to publish its report on its review of NHS prescription charges and exemption arrangements in Scotland.

Lewis Macdonald: I hope that it will be possible to publish the report on the review of NHS prescription charges and exemption arrangements in Scotland before the end of the year.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of eligible prisoners currently fail to attend national harm reduction awareness sessions in each prison.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  47% of prisoners on admission who are eligible did not attend a National Harm Reduction Awareness Session.

  In the first year of the Enhanced Addictions Casework Service the number of prisoners who have attended this session has increased to 17,637 (from 12,379).

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of eligible prisoners who initially refuse to attend national harm reduction awareness sessions in each prison subsequently ask to attend.

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of eligible prisoners who refuse to attend national harm reduction awareness sessions in each prison also refuse to sign a disclaimer.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  This information requested is not available.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average and median times are after reception by the Scottish Prison Service before eligible prisoners, other than those who refuse to do so, attend national harm reduction awareness sessions in each prison.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Five days and, more than three and less than seven days.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive for how many prisoners (a) who were considered to have literacy and/or numeracy difficulties or (b) for whom English was considered to be a second language national harm reduction awareness sessions were delivered in a suitable format and style in the last 12 months for which information is available.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information is not available. The specific needs of individuals from minority ethnic backgrounds or for those for whom English may be a second language, will be met by the Enhanced Addiction Casework Service. Appropriate specialist support will be made available. Harm reduction awareness sessions can be delivered on an individual basis if required. Harm Reduction Awareness documentation is also available in Braille and large print.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many referrals were made to the Throughcare Addiction Service by (a) the Scottish Prison Service or (b) prisoners themselves in the last 12 months for which information is available.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  All the 1,280 referrals to the Throughcare Addiction Service (TAS) were made by the Enhanced Addiction Casework Service.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the General Practice Administration System for Scotland (GPASS) is available to the contractor under Contract No. 00487 for the provision of enhanced addiction casework services to the Scottish Prison Service.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The General Practice Administration System for Scotland (GPASS) is not yet implemented across the Scottish Prison Service. SPS has no plans to make GPASS available to the contractor under Contract No. 00487-05.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many case management files relating to individuals’ addictions are currently open in each prison.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The number open is given in the following table:

  

Aberdeen
72


Barlinnie
196


Cornton Vale
115


Dumfries
30


Edinburgh
170


Glenochil
130


Greenock
69


Inverness
27


Low Moss
110


Open Estate
101


Perth
52


Polmont
191


Shotts
125

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Royal Mail blue transfer pouches were used for inter-prison records transfer in the last 12 months for which information is available.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information requested is not available.

  Records are transferred between prisons within blue, sealed Scottish Prison Service transfer pouches and delivered by the Royal Mail on our behalf.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Royal Mail blue transfer pouches, used for inter-prison records transfer, have been lost in transit in the last 12 months for which the information is available.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  There have been no reported cases of the SPS blue transfer pouches being lost on inter-prison transfer.

Rail Network

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-28233 by Tavish Scott on 21 September 2006, whether the discussions between Transport Scotland, Network Rail and Dumfries and Galloway Council have now concluded and when a decision is expected on further funding to enable disabled access to both platforms at Lockerbie Station.

Tavish Scott: Transport Scotland officials met with Dumfries and Galloway Council and Network Rail on 26 October 2006 to discuss the issue of disabled access at Lockerbie station. A decision will shortly be made on the way forward.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) initial and (b) secondary work was carried out on the A9 road junction at Grainish by Aviemore; in each case, what the total cost of the work was and who will meet the cost, and whether the secondary work carried out was for the purpose of rectifying the previous work and, if so, who will meet the cost of the rectification work and whether the taxpayer will meet any part of it and, if so, how much.

Tavish Scott: The initial works involved simplifying the layout of the junction through removal of the acceleration and deceleration lanes including the associated traffic island and resurfacing the carriageway on either side of the junction. The cost of this design and build (fixed price) work ordered by Transport Scotland was £250,327.85.

  The secondary works involved increasing the approach and exit widths at the junction to allow easier movement of heavy goods vehicles. This requirement was identified at a Road Safety Audit carried out as part of Transport Scotland’s normal quality assurance processes following completion of a changed layout. The Road Safety Audit identified that large heavy goods vehicles were having difficulties moving through the junction.

  As the scheme was a design and build, fixed price project carried out by BEAR Scotland, no further costs were incurred by Transport Scotland for the secondary work carried out in September 2006.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area and can be contacted for more information if required.

Roads

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the permission of a regional transport partnership or Transport Scotland is required before a local authority can alter the hours of operation of a bus lane.

Tavish Scott: The hours of operation of a bus lane are regulated by a Traffic Regulation Order made by the appropriate transport authority under powers contained in the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This would normally be the local authority and the permission of the regional transport partnership (RTP) would not be required.

  However, transfer of certain transport responsibilities from a local authority to a regional transport partnership (RTP) is allowed for in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005, depending on the status of the RTP.

  In the Dumfries area, for example, powers to alter a Traffic Regulation Order are now vested jointly with Dumfries and Galloway Council and the south-west of Scotland Transport Partnership and it is a matter for these bodies to agree the hours of operation of a bus lane.

  Transport Scotland would only be involved if the bus lane formed part of the trunk road network.

Roads

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a local authority may alter the hours of operation of a bus lane which has been part-funded by the Executive and, if so, what procedures should be used if an objection to a proposal for such an alteration is received.

Tavish Scott: The hours of operation of a bus lane are regulated by a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) made by the appropriate transport authority under powers contained in the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. Funding matters are not directly relevant to the making of a TRO.

  Procedures for making TROs, and the associated objection procedure, are contained in the Local Authorities’ Traffic Orders (Procedures) (Scotland) Regulations 1999 and are primarily a matter for the transport authority although the case may be referred to the Scottish ministers for determination if objections cannot be resolved.

Rural Affairs

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to alter the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation in order to make it appropriate for rural communities.

Malcolm Chisholm: 1. The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) measures concentrations of area deprivation across all of Scotland in a fair way and is appropriate for identifying concentrated areas of multiple deprivation in both urban and rural areas. The Scottish Executive do not, therefore, consider it necessary to alter the SIMD.

  The following methodological changes have been incorporated into the (a) SIMD 2004, and (b) SIMD 2006, which have particular relevance to the measurement of deprivation in rural areas:

  (a) SIMD 2004

  the use of small geographical units of measurement (data zones). This enables pockets of deprivation to be identified which may previously have been masked by analysis using larger geographies such as wards or post code sectors. With the new SIMD 2006, we are now able to track changes in these small areas over time.

  inclusion of a domain on access to services (drive times)

  averaging unemployment counts to take account of seasonal variations

  In the past, non-car ownership has been used as a proxy for other forms of deprivation such as low income and poor health. In rural areas, however, people are more likely to own a car out of necessity rather than because they had sufficient income. This problem was addressed by the SIMD 2004 which used drive times rather than car ownership

  (b) SIMD 2006

  inclusion of new public transport travel times alongside the existing drive times in the "Access to services" domain

  including secondary schools and shopping facilities (rather than supermarkets) in the list of services in the "Access to services" domain

  inclusion of ferry waiting times in the travel times used in the "Access to services" domain.

  2. Rural stakeholders will continue to be represented on the ScotStat Measuring Deprivation Advisory Group that advises the Scottish Executive on the use and dissemination of the SIMD.

  3. Further information on the methodology used to construct the SIMD is available in the SIMD technical reports published at: www.scotland.gov.uk/simd.

Rural Stewardship Scheme

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been received for the Rural Stewardship Scheme 2006, broken down by local authority area or nearest geographical equivalent and showing the number and percentage of successful applications in each case.

Ross Finnie: The number of applications received for the Rural Stewardship Scheme 2006, broken down by local authority area, and the number and percentage of successful applications, are as follows:

  

Authority
Applications
Successful
Percentageof Scottish Total
Percentage of Local Area Total


Aberdeen City
5
0
0
0


Aberdeenshire
453
32
6.14
7.06


Angus
81
3
0.58
3.70


Argyll and Bute
78
31
5.95
39.74


Clackmannan
7
1
0.19
14.29


Dumfries and Galloway
118
13
2.50
11.02


Dundee City
0
0
0
0


East Ayrshire
49
3
0.58
6.12


East Dumbartonshire
7
0
0
0


East Lothian
37
1
0.19
2.70


East Renfrewshire
10
0
0
0


Edinburgh, City of
4
0
0
0


Eilean Siar
169
88
16.89
52.07


Falkirk
7
0
0
0


Fife
75
14
2.69
18.67


Glasgow, City of
0
0
0
0


Highland
339
94
18.04
27.73


Inverclyde
5
0
0
0


Midlothian
7
0
0
0


Moray
74
7
1.34
9.46


North Ayrshire
24
4
0.77
16.67


North Lanarkshire
6
0
0
0


Orkney
116
90
17.27
77.59


Perth and Kinross
157
28
5.37
17.83


Renfrewshire
10
3
0.58
30.00


Scottish Borders
282
40
7.68
14.18


Shetland
90
55
10.56
61.11


South Ayrshire
35
3
0.58
8.57


South Lanarkshire
65
4
0.77
6.15


Stirling
30
6
1.15
20.00


West Dumbartonshire
3
1
0.19
33.33


West Lothian
10
0
0
0


Total
2,353
521

Scottish Executive Services

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many 0870 numbers it operates.

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which of its services operate an 0870 number.

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the services for which it has responsibility that operate an 0870 number, also listing the telephone number.

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which of its departments operate 0870 phone lines.

Mr Tom McCabe: Information Systems and Information Services Division manages telephony services used within the Scottish Executive. The division does not use any 0870 numbers in the provision of telephony services.

  Individual departments may from time to time run public awareness campaigns which offer advice on health, education etc that use NTS services. These services would not be funded from the admin budget and no information is held centrally on the use of these services.

  Information on the use of 0870 numbers across agencies and non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and therefore that information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Scottish Executive Services

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on charging individuals who phone a service for which it is responsible.

Mr Tom McCabe: Information Systems and Information Services Division (ISIS) manages telephony services used within the Scottish Executive. ISIS has adopted Ofcom recommendations on best practice in relation to Number Translation Services (NTS) which are often used for telephone-based services.

  Individual departments may from time to time run public awareness campaigns which offer advice on health, education etc that use NTS services. These services would not be funded from the admin budget and no information is held centrally on the use of these services.

  Information on the use of 08 numbers across agencies and non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and therefore that information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Sport

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it will make available for the renovation and upgrading of changing facilities and pavilions for sporting use at public parks in each of the next three years.

Patricia Ferguson: Local authorities need to take a strategic overview of the range and location of sports facilities its communities require before considering funding packages for renovating or upgrading pavilions or changing facilities. Where facilities are in private ownership a needs assessment should be prepared and discussed with the sports governing body and the local authority. Sportscotland’s Building for Sport programme can support the re-development of changing facilities and pavilions. However, it is for the board of sportscotland to determine which applications are supported and the level of any contribution.

Tobacco Sales

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to test purchase cigarettes.

Lewis Macdonald: Following a change to prosecution policy in February 2005, test purchasing of age restricted goods, with the exception of alcohol, can be undertaken by local authority trading standards departments. Twenty local authorities have undertaken test purchasing of age restricted goods, including cigarettes, so far during 2006.

Tourism

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the Association of Dumfries and Galloway Accommodation Providers.

Patricia Ferguson: I am aware of the website run by the Association of Dumfries and Galloway Accommodation Providers (ADGAP) which provides a marketing service for accommodation providers and visitor attractions in the area. While the organisation does not levy a direct charge for advertising on its site, it does charge a membership fee that allows a ‘free listing’, so is a commercial organisation. In the Stage 1 Debate for the Tourist Boards (Scotland) Bill on 29 June, I described ADGAP’s website as a "booking service". While the ADGAP website provides a marketing and listing service for local businesses, it does not in fact provide a booking facility, so ought not to have been described as a booking service. I am happy to take this opportunity of making that clear.

Traffic

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what input it has into road traffic regulations and laws; whether there is a standing committee on this issue on which it is represented, and what representations it has made, and on what subjects, about road traffic regulations and laws to Her Majesty’s Government since 1999.

Tavish Scott: The majority of road traffic regulation legislation is reserved to allow consistency throughout the United Kingdom. There is no formal standing committee.

  Notwithstanding this, the Scottish Executive is in contact with the Department for Transport and other Departments such as the Home Office on a wide range of road traffic regulation matters on a regular basis.

  Recent examples have included the Graduated Fixed Penalty and Deposit Scheme Steering Group, the DVLA Courts Liaison Group, Road Safety matters, the implementation of road works provisions in the English Traffic Management Act 2004 and the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005 and representations on consultation on amendments to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002.